March 18, 2010

IRVING, Texas - Baylor sophomore Nina Secerbegovic was named the Big 12 Player of the Week for her performance in three top-15 wins last week, announced Thursday by league officials.

Secerbegovic, a native of Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina, won all three of her singles matches over top-50 players to help the Lady Bears beat No. 2 UCLA, No. 4 North Carolina, and No. 13 USC en route earning the No. 1 team ranking in this week's Intercollegiate Tennis Association ranks.

Last Wednesday, the then-No. 41 Secerbegovic beat USC's No. 21 Alison Ramos 6-1, 5-7, 6-3 in what would turn out to be her only set-loss of the week. The following day, she beat UCLA's No. 24 Andrea Remynse (6-3, 6-1), then two days later took down UNC's No. 32 Katrina Tsang 6-0, 6-1.

The three consecutive wins in singles play helped Secerbegovic move up 23 spots to No. 18 in the latest singles rankings, along with extending her current win streak to 13 matches.

In doubles, Secerbegovic partnered with Karolina Filipiak to earn a 2-1 record in three matches on the week.

The Lady Bears resume Big 12 play on Friday against Oklahoma State at 5 p.m. at the Baylor Tennis Center.